5 Forensic Lab Equipment

Postmortem analysis plays a crucial role in solving crimes and identifying criminals accurately and quickly. Forensic lab equipment helps forensic scientists analyze information precisely, avoiding error and maintaining a safe work environment.

Whether you are planning to set up a forensic lab or want to upgrade an existing one, you must have these 5 forensic laboratory equipment in your lab.

5 Must Have Forensic Laboratory Equipment For Forensic Lab

Though some television shows have made forensic science seem like an easy-to-solve topic, the reality is completely the opposite. In real life, forensic scientists need to go through scientific procedures, and medical theories, and analyze the collected evidence using various forensic lab equipment. It may take a long time to unravel the mysteries of a crime scene.

In terms of tools, forensic laboratory equipment ranges from ordinary to specific forensic analysis. Every piece of equipment serves certain purposes, including evidence collection, toxicology, DNA analysis, and more.

Below, we’ve discussed 5 of the most handy forensic lab equipment with used categories for your better understanding:

Portable Fuming Systems, Fume Hoods, Evidence Drying Cabinets

Forensic scientists use these portable fuming systems to solve latent fingerprints quickly. This equipment uses microburst or typical CA fuming methods. It can also protect the user from the potential risks of fuming.

With a unique collapsible design, this fuming system is fairly easy to carry and assemble. Hence, this equipment saves valuable time and space in the forensic lab while letting the scientist focus on the crime reports to solve the case.

This machine contains all the components required for fingerprint fuming and a microprocessor-controlled heater to heat the CA adhesive. It also has a built-in exhaust blower and a polycarbonate protective chamber to resist shattering. The machine is designed with a carbon exhaust filter to catch smoke and exhaust CA fumes.

Some of its fuming systems are made of epoxy-coated steel and a stainless-steel manifold to provide essential support to evidence inside the chamber. A field power kit is another helpful collection equipment.

Evidence Processing Fume Hoods

A vital piece of forensic lab equipment, fume hoods are used to remove chemical fumes and aerosols from the labs, keeping the personnel safe and healthy. The ductless filter-based models are some of the most common types of fume hoods used in forensic labs.

Evidence Drying Cabinets

This equipment ensures the security, drying, and processing of wet evidence, even in a controlled environment. It also offers the infrastructure required to maintain the integrity of wet evidence by securing it from possible contamination.

The evidence drying cabinet also provides a handy shield to keep lab personnel safe from potentially harmful biological particles. These cabinets produce a continuous flow of air to keep the evidence dry while using advanced filtration technology to ensure a safe work environment across a wide variety of applications.

Additionally, some models feature UV light for extra disinfection between sessions.

The kinds of evidence drying cabinets differ based on the model, material, filtration system, interior dimension, and the specific needs of the forensic lab.

For example, drying cabinets with carbon-filtered exhaust and HEPA filters protect personnel from biohazard exposure and eliminate odors. In contrast, models with washdown systems and pumps can effectively decontaminate the cabinets.

Biosafety Cabinets

Biosafety cabinets (also known as biological safety cabinets) are used to clean the lab’s working area without ductwork. These cabinets ensure the safe handling of contaminants, pathogens, and other potentially risky materials. Forensic scientists use this equipment to protect personnel against infectious agents or biohazardous materials while maintaining the integrity of evidence.

Most biosafety cabinets use HEPA filters in both the supply and exhaust systems to prevent exposure to biohazards. Typically, three types of biosafety cabinets are available: Class I, Class II, and Class III.

Toxicology: Evaporators

Forensic scientists use evaporators to remove liquids from samples to make them dry. The other uses include extractions, solvent recycling, sample concentration, and separating solvent mixtures. This forensic laboratory equipment uses gas, heat, motion, or different combinations to provide a dry sample.

There are seven types of evaporators, with the most common being centrifugal evaporators, blowdown evaporators, vacuum dry evaporators, and rotary evaporators. When purchasing an evaporator for your forensic lab, important considerations include type, footprint, applications, and speed.

Conclusion

Choosing the right forensic laboratory equipment is crucial for ensuring the proper application of analytical methods, personnel safety, and sample precision. In addition, using the right equipment can save valuable time and space, ultimately aiding in forensic examinations.

In the initial stage, these 5 forensic lab equipment pieces will help you start the analytic and criminal identification process. If you are planning to invest, choose high-tech, digital equipment to get faster results and avoid human error.

Forensic science plays a pivotal role in criminal investigations, and the right equipment can make all the difference in uncovering critical evidence quickly and accurately.

FAQs

What are the essential forensic lab equipment for crime investigations?

Five must-have forensic lab equipment include portable fuming systems, evidence drying cabinets, biosafety cabinets, fume hoods, and toxicology evaporators. These tools help ensure accurate evidence analysis and a safe working environment.

How do portable fuming systems help in forensic analysis?

Portable fuming systems quickly solve latent fingerprints using CA fuming methods and protect against harmful fumes, saving time and space in the lab.

Why are evidence-drying cabinets important in forensic labs?

Evidence drying cabinets ensure safe, controlled drying of wet evidence, preventing contamination and maintaining the integrity of the evidence while protecting lab personnel from harmful biological particles.